Lower Court Farmhouse

BITTERLEY

SO57NE Lower Court Farmhouse 482-1/6/72

GV II

Farmhouse then 3 houses, now 2 houses. C17, altered C18 and C19. Stone rubble and brick. Plain-tile roof. Projecting stone eaves stacks with brick restored star-shaped upper shafts and caps. L-shaped plan of main range aligned north-south and west cross wing to rear; one house occupying the 2 gabled wings, the other occupying the linking bay to rear and a C20 extension to side. EXTERIOR: 2-storey, attic and cellar. South front has gable projecting to right and rear cross wing to left. Gable with 5-light C20 casement with top lights, 2-light casement at attic, and ground-floor C19 projecting entrance porch with ornate framing incorporating tablet with initials CHRB. Gable left return side has C19 lean-to covering C20 entrance door and 2-light casement at first floor. South front of cross wing: obscured by lean-to to right with 3-light casement, to left is one C20 3-light casement with top lights to first floor, to ground floor a C19 3-light casement with top lights and a further 2-light casement. East side: central brick panel set between rubble stone flanking walls. Inset into brick are 2 carved stone tablets; upper with raised crest, lower with chamfered raised edge and inscription. Above tablets are set 3 very eroded figured corbels. At ground-floor centre is projecting C19 open porch with plain beaded door frame and old boarded nail-studded door with iron band hinges. To left is first-floor C17 lattice-leaded mullion and transom window, with 2 lower flanking lights inbuilt with stone and complete window bricked-in internally, large C20 casement with top lights below. To right is 2-storey, 2-window range of 3-light casements and large C20 casements with top lights to far right. West gable end: oak-framed attic window with chamfered mullion and reveals. Ground-level covered by C20 single-storey brick extensions. Rear to north: 2 large projecting stone stacks with wall advanced between. In centre 3-light casement with C20 casement below. INTERIOR: main range with cellar. Ground-floor structure consists of extensive deep bridging beams with quadruple-beaded chamfer-moulds and floor joists with double-bead with central flute soffit moulding, all possibly reset. North bay of main range has 2 deep-chamfered bridging beams with ogee stops at both floors, square-framed internal cross-frames incorporating chamfered door openings. First-floor stone fireplace with deep-chamfered mantlebeam and chamfered reveals. Restored double purlin roofs. East wall inscription: "ERECTED BY THOMAS HOPTON ESQ AND MARGARET HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER TO ADAM LUTLEY ESQ ANNO DOMINI 1602". Porch tablet initials refer to Sir Charles Henry Rouse-Boughton of Downton Hall, 1825-1906, the landlord responsible for many mid C19 modernizations in the district.

Listing NGR: SO5606477450